Please note that the changes below do not represent
everything changing at Disney, but they are the changes that we feel are
most relevant to our readers. Please contact Walt Disney World for
updates before you go, or check their site at
www.DisneyWorld.com. If
you are aware of something that should be included here, we would
appreciate if you would email us at
info@diz-abled.com Thanks!

The 911 section on has
been changed. You can see it on our website here: 911 & Emergencies

9/14/08

Animal Kingdom attraction
closing: The "Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends" show will
be closing September 27, 2007.

Book Updates

For the book Walt Disney World with Disabilities (initial release
version)

(First edition, first printing)

2/19/08

Buses:
According to Disney transportation, although Disney World buses
can take 2 non-folding wheelchairs or ECV's, there's actually
one single bus that takes 4. It can be called in for your
use by a cast member. It is in general use and can be
anywhere at any time, so we're told it can take 1 - 1 1/2
hours to get it delivered to you.

All resorts have bus service to
all parks except the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and
Contemporary resorts. To get to the Magic Kingdom from these
resorts you must take the monorail or boat. The boats do
not accommodate wheelchairs. If it's not too busy at the time, a
boat driver can call for a wheelchair accessible boat to be
brought in from a different area. This could take quite a while
though.

2/19/08

Monorail
cars: According to Disney transportation, they are in the
process of retrofitting the monorail cars. Many of the
cars now have vertical grab bars rather than the horizontal grab
bars that ran down the center of the car. If you plan to
stay in you're wheelchair it may be a bit more challenging to
access a grab bar to steady yourself.

There is a third loop called the
Express that goes between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation
and Ticket center.

2/19/08

FASTPASS:
Soarin at Epcot does have FASTPASS. Haunted Mansion does have
FASTPASS, but according to Disney it is
not always made available to guests. It may depend upon
crowd conditions.

Most FASTPASS tickets don't allow
you to get another one until the time period when your FASTPASS
may be used begins. However there may be exceptions. Look
at your ticket to see the time when you will be allowed to get
another FASTPASS. Although we've had our FASTPASS tickets
cancelled a couple times so we could get a different FASTPASS,
this is handled at the discretion of the cast member. The
official policy is no cancellations, but it doesn't hurt to ask!
We've had good luck with this.

4/24/08

Mission Space: We've been
told today that although Mission: Space has a non-spinning
version of the ride, there may actually be some spinning.
It's said to be approximately 25% of the spinning version and
not detectible to most people. We spoke to several Disney
representatives who say the version is completely non-spinning,
but we've also heard from some inside folks who say that there
is some mild spinning. At this point we just don't know for
certain, so we advise caution if you have any issues that
spinning may impact.

4/24/08

Park Facts with Disabilities:
There's been a number of changes and updates for the Park Facts
with Disability info for the four parks. This includes the lists
detailing which attractions allow wheelchairs and ECVs, which
only allow manual wheelchairs, which attractions can't
accommodate wheelchairs or ECVs and which ones require guests to
walk. Click here to see the
revised lists.

5/01/08

Audio Tapes for the visually
impaired: These are no longer available but have been
replaced by the
Handheld Captioning device. In addition to support for the
hearing impaired, this device will give audio descriptions of
the park attractions. Disney used to have audiotape
guides but these are no longer available and these units have
replaced them.

6/10/08

Calling 911
inside Disney - If you do have a seizure or an emergency
that requires a call to 911, have someone in your party alert a
cast member. They can call the Disney World Emergency Medical
Service. Disney EMTs can reach you much quicker than
outside EMTs can. Calling 911 on a cell phone while you're
on Disney property will mean a much longer wait for help.

6/17/08

GAC - Guest Assistance Cards. We've
added some new information and you can see it by
clicking here.

6/17/08

Visual Impairment
information: In
addition to support for the hearing impaired, the new
Handheld Captioning device will give audio descriptions of
the park attractions. Disney used to have audiotape
guides for the visually impaired, but they are no longer
available and these units have replaced them.

6/18/08

Boat Transportation - We've
added more detailed information including the various boat
routes for the parks and resorts, and the accessibility of the
boats on each route. You can read about it by
clicking here.

7-18-08

Animal Kingdom service animal rest stops:

Near Restaurantosaurus backstage behind the gates

By
the Main Entrance Kennel Area

Backstage behind the gates near Kilimanjaro Safaris

Backstage behind the gates between Pizzafari and Creature
Comforts

Backstage behind the gates to the right of Conservation
Station

Backstage behind the gates near Maharajah Jungle Trek

7/23/08

Soarin fragrance
effects: We have found that the
intensity of the smell effects can vary. This has to do with
the amount and freshness of the scent beads in the individual
row of each glider. The scent beads are replaced as needed, so
the intensity can change depending upon when and where you
ride.

7/23/08

Typo correction: In the World
Showcase Japan area you can catch a candy-making display, not
candle-making.

7/24/08

Stitch’s Great Escape:
The
harness comes down over your shoulders and can create a feeling
of being trapped. Disney staff says you can’t remove the
harness once it’s locked into place. We have heard that if
you push it off with force it will give way, but we don’t want
you to do this because it will most likely break the harness.
We’re only mentioning this because knowing that you can get out
of it may help those with claustrophobia feel more comfortable
when they realize they are not actually trapped.

7/25/08

Tom Sawyer's Island:
ECVs and wheelchairs are not allowed to ride the raft to the
island.

7/25/08

Room
fragrance: The Polynesian Resort now uses fragrance in their
rooms. You can request your room not be sprayed but there will
still be a lingering fragrance from daily spraying.

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